vi IN the biographical sketch, drawn up by Mr. Hume previous to his death, and intitled MY OWN LIFE, he has paffed over unnoticed two very important incidents. The first of these is the complaint presented to the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, against the metaphyfical writings of our author and Lord Kames; an occurrence which derives additional importance from a late difcuffion of a like nature before that venerable body. The other is the dispute between him and Rouffeau, which it was the more neceffary to relate at confiderable length, as an opinion, unfavourable to Mr. Hume, prevailed very generally, and even still prevails, among the literati in foreign countries. A fentiment of delicacy feems to have restrained him from alluding to these transactions, but fuch a motive cannot influence a stranger; and a fimilar omiffion in a Life of Mr. Hume, written by another perfon, would certainly render the work very imperfect. R. Belhaven Barracks, Dunbar, March 1, 1807. CONTENTS. AN AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF DAVID HUME, Esq. DAVID HUME, the fecond fon of Joseph Hume, Efq. was born at Edinburgh on the 26th of April, O. S. 1711. His ancestors, for feveral generations, had been proprietors of a small eftate called Ninewells, lying on the river Whitwater, about five miles to the eaft of Dunse, in the county of Berwick; and this eftate is still enjoyed by their pofterity. At a fhort diftance from Ninewells, ftands the manfion-houfe of Kames, which belonged to the late Henry Home, who, under the title of Lord Kames, officially affumed by him as a lord of feffion, or judge of the fupreme court of justice in Scotland, is fo well known in the republic of letters, as a philofopher, a lawyer, B a lawyer, and a man of tafte. His lordship was the contemporary and intimate friend of our historian. The family name of Hume's mother was Falconer. She was the daughter of Sir David Falconer, who was appointed a lord of feffion, by the title of Lord Newton, on the 11th of June 1676, and fix years afterwards raised to the chair of prefident of that court. Sir David died in 1685, and was fucceeded in his office by Sir George Lockhart of Carnwath. The title of Lord Halkerston devolved by fucceffion on his eldest fon; and it may also be mentioned, that Mr. Hume's father claimed his descent from the noble family of Home: a circumftance which derives its importance folely from the family pride, or, more properly fpeaking, from the vanity of our author, who, during the whole courfe of his life, valued himself not a little on this double connection with nobility. It is a common practice with biographers to pufh their researches, with much avidity and perfeverance, into the earlier periods of the lives of those whose transactions they relate. This industry may, perhaps, be occafionally rewarded by the discovery of fome fortuitous incident worthy of *The family of Ninewells feem, from our author's last will and teftament, to have spelt the name Home instead of Hume: but as David was remarkably pertinacious in writing his name Hume, his relations have fince followed his example. |